Locking mechanism for vehicle-tires.



H. A. SOULBS.'

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR VEHICLE TIRES.

APPucATmN FILED Nov.xa,1914.

i Fatah-ted Heb, a, 1916.

:canoni e.; soumis,` or new Yoan, 1v. Y.

,' Assienon or ONE-HALF A'ro WILBUB, T.

soULIs, or New Yoan, N. Y. 't

maracas.

7 TolaZZ it may concern:

v`citizen of the United States, and a resident f New"York, county of NewYork, andi* .State'of New York, have invented a new 'jandfuse'fulImprovement in Locking Mech-- anismffor Vehicle-Tires, of which the fol-'lQwiiig-.is a specification, the principle of thi-:invention beingherein explained and the heetmode iii-which I have' contemplatedfja'pplying that principle, so as to distinguishV from other inventions.

.and'improved type of vehicle wheelrim f relates. in particular `to `animproved for retaining the tire upon the rim. fflnthe wheel rims now inuse, there are usu- 'rally irovided what is known as a remov#y ablepositioned on the rim against the side of the ire and is then locked inplace by a split locking ring. Practically all of the solc'alled fquickdetachable rims now in use onautomobile wheels ,are of this generaltype. One' 2 5 disadvantage of this type is in the diiiiculty thelocking ring, which often rust into place and are usually' secured bymeans of small-v Q" in the rim.

. `In the present inventionI obviat/e the necessity for the employmentoftwo remov'- able members and provide a'single detachable flange whichis adapted in one position 7 to be freely moved on to or olf from therim'. .Such member is also adapted when posi- ,tioned on a rim, to bebent or twisted so' (that locking means mounted thereon are" yadapted tointerlock with coperative means 49 on the, rim; This locking member wheninl .fsuch position is adapted to be maintained against movement by thepressure of the neumatic tire against the same. i To the accomplishmentvof the foregoing and related ends, said invention7 then, conl-sists ofthe means hereinafter fully described and .particularly pointed outinthe claims.

\ y'The annexed drawing and the following description set forth indetail certain mech-y anism embodying the Ainvention such disclosedmeans constituting,` however, but` one of various mechanical forms inwhich princ ipleofthe invention maybe used. f 55, In said annexed.vdrawing z-e-Figure 1 is,4 'transversefsection through arim embodyingvproved 'rim vand I am angeupon'one side of the rim which 1s terminallugs-which are inserted in recesses jtially :flat cross-section.

wardly' projecting `LOCKING Mncnnnrsnroa VEHICLE-TIRES.

spleciacauonof-reaesraient.' Patentdpeb, g, 1916,.eptucationalednovember131914. serial110.8715715.4

'1 my presentfinvention on the line 1 1, Fig. Be it vknown that I',HAROLD A. SoULis, a

2.; Fig. 2is apartial side elevation of the `rim show-n in Fig. 1; Fig.3 is a section on the line 3-3 in4 Fig. 2 showing the lockingmemberwheniirst applied to the rim; Fig..

et is a similar-section taken on the line -3 in Fig. 2 but showingthelocking member when moved into another position, and Fig.

5is a similar section on the line 5 5, Fig. 2. e In Fig. 1 there isshown a felly band 1,

providedupon one side with a permanent k "l up-standing "flange he4subject of the present invention is a 2 against which is adapt- Aed toVrest the locking'` portion or bead 3 of pneumatic tireia. It will beunderstood thatfl donot limit the use of my invention to pneumatictires, as any tire which is compressible atits base may be used in myimshowing the present pneumaticgtire for purposes of illustration only;Similarly, although I` have shown 'metal spokes 5,` extending inwardlyfrom the felly band, it will be understood that my improved -rm iscapable of a universal adaptation, irrespective ofthe type of spokes; ofpositioning and removing the liange and The locking member which Iemploy consists of Ia continuous annular ring of relatively flexiblematerial and of a substan- Such ring 6 is formed to'n'ormally assume aposition such, for` example, as indicated in Fig.` 1, the greatesttransverse dimension of the ring lying a-tr'an. angle to a plane througheither edge parallel to the plane `of the wheel. The ring 6 is providedat its outer and inner edges with enlarged rounded portions `.orbeads 7and 8, whichar'e adapted to contact-the tire. Attached to the outer sideof thering G are a number of lugs 9 provided with reinforcing ribs 10and having inlingers 11, such ngers terminating in lugs 12 which areadapted in one position ofthe ring (the position shown in Fig. 1 toengage in recesses 13, formed between two inwardly projecting ribs orlugs 145Cv on :the under side of the -rim 1.

Similarly -theiinger l1 is formed with a recess 15 on itsf upper sideadapted to receive one ofthe ribs 13. The ribs and revcesses on the-rimc'operate with the fingers and the lugs and recesses therein,l on ther1ng','tof` form-'locking means which `are adaptedfin'the position.illustrated in Fig. andgmaintain Vthe ring 6 in mounted sockets 16 forthe reception of suitable tools for operating the ring in the' manner tobe presently described. The'ring 6 will be seen to constitute adistortible member capable of assuming either of two positions, it beingnecessary to distort the ring to move it from one position to anonther.To thus distort the ring requires a considerable amount of force whichcan be applied `readily enough by an operator when employing theleverage obtainable by inserting a handled toolin the sockets l16. .Onthe other hand the pressure exerted b the air in the tire prevents anyaccidenta distortion of the ring during operation ofthe vehicle.

From the foregoing description it will be vunderstood that the ring orannulus -6 is l resilient and is normally inclined at a sli ht f in thesockets 16, although preferably speangle to a plane passing from eithere ge and parallel to the plane of the Wheel. The method of applicationof this locking member on a rim is as follows: The outer bead or toe ofthe tire is forced inwardly as indicated in Fig.3 and the locking ring 6is then applied to the rim when in the position indicated in thisfigure: namely, with the ring inclined towar the center of the tire.When in this position the. lugs are spaced from the under side of thelrim and the fingers 11 on the lugs 9 do not engage the `ribs 14 andrecesses 13 on the rim 1. In

order to lock the ring 6 in this position, only one operation isnecessary, which involves the springing or bending of the ring into theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 4, which may be readily and convenientlyaccomplished by inserting suitable handled tools in the notches 16.Screw drivers or similar instruments may fory example be employed cialtools will be furnished. When the ring 6 has thus been sprung into theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the lugs 12 engage between the ribsA14. The tire is then inflated and the greatestpressure of the tire isinserted against the upper portion or bead 7 of thering 6, thus tendingto force the same downward and outward, which tendency lis resisted bothby the contact of the lower bead8 against the rim, and by engagement'ofthe lugs 13 between the ribs 14. To disengage the ring, the operation isreversed, the tools being inserted in the sockets 16 and the ring beingthen sprung inwardly; and it will be understood that this cannot be doneuntil the tire has been de- Hated.

My improved construction is extremely simple and inexpensive tomanufacture, which characteristics render lit peculiarly suitable forthe automobile now being produced, in which simplicity, low cost andlight weight are essentials. An additional advantage is the security ofthe attachment of the locking' means to the rim. If a tire is puncturedth weight of the vehicle tends, to force the locking rim in the samedirection as did the pressure in the tire thereby preventing the rlngfrom falling oii2 Other modes of applying the principle4 of my inventionmay be employed instead of the one explained, change being made asregards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by anyof the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means beemployed.

I therefore particularly point out and i distinctly claim as myinvention 1. In a vehicle wheel with a tire retaining felly-band and aretaining fiange on one side thereof, of a con tinuous, relativelyflexible ring adapted to be positioned upon the'othe'r side of saidfelly-band and constituting the other retainbe positioned upon the otherside of .said

felly-band and constituting the other retaining flange thereon, and coerative locking means permanently mounte partly on sald r ring andpartly on said ange and ada ted,

the rim. 7'0

the combination 3( 1n one position of saidv ring, to inter ock,. 100

thereby maintaining a tire upon said fellyand. l

3. In avehicle wheel the combination with a tire receiving felly bandand a retaining flange on one side thereof, of a con- :m5

tinuous relatively flexible ring adapted to be positioned upon the otherside of said felly band, a rib formed on the under side of saidrelatively flexible ring adapted to be positioned upon the other side ofsaid felly 1 band, said band having recesses formed on its under side,and lugs attached to said ring and adaptedin one position of the same,to engage in such recesses in said felly band. y l

4. In a vehicle Wheel, the combination with a tire receiving felly bandand a retaining'ange on one side thereof, of a continuous annular,relatively flat, and resilient ring normally having its longesttransverse tinuous annular, relatively flat, and resilient ring normallyhaving its longest transverse dimension Vat an anglerto the plane of theedge of said ring,- said i'ring being adapted to be positioned on theother side of said felly band, said band having recesses formed in itsunder side, and a plurality of lugs integrally attached to the outsideof said ring and having fingers ,extending under said felly band andadapted to enter such recesses when said ring is in its tire engagingposition. I

6. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a tire receiving fellyband-and a retainingflange on one side thereof, of a continuous annular,relatively flat, and resilient ring normally having its longesttransverse jdi mension at an angle to the plane of the edge of saidring, said ring beiid adapted to be positioned on the other side of saidfelly band when its outer. edge inclined toward the center plane of saidband, said. band and said ring having coperative locking means adaptedto interlock upon said rings movement into a position where it isinclinedv away from the center plane of said'band, and sockets formedonfsaid ring for the introduction of suitable handled tools for sobending said ring.

7. In a vehicle wheel, the combination With a tire receiving felly-band,and a retaining flange on one side thereof, of a continuous, normallyfrusto-conically shaped resilient ring adapted to be initiallypositione'd on the other side of said felly-band from said retainingfiange, inelining toward the la tter,-lugs attached to said ring andexitending beneath said felly-band, and the latter being provided n'itlia contact surface adapted to be engaged by said lugs upon v said ringbeing snapped into a position inclining away from said retaining fiange.

8. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a tire receiving folly-bandhaving a retaining flaiige on one side thereof, but being otherwisefiat, ribs formed on the bottom of said folly-band and spaced from thesides thereof, a continuous ring adapted to be positioned upon the-other side of said fellyband and constituting a tire retaining flangethereon, lugs attached to the outer side of said ring and extendingunder sai-d fellyband and being adapted to engage said ribs thereon uponturning of said ring -outivaidlv.

9. Iii a vehicle wheel, the combination with a tire receiving felly-bandhaving aretaining flange on one side thereof, and being provided with aContact surface on its lower side, a continuous, fiexible ring adaptedto be positioned upon the other side of said band from such retainingflange and initially inclined. toward the saine, lugs mounti e on theouter side of said ring and extending beneath said felly-band, said ringbeing adapted to be sprung into a position inclining away from suchretaining flange, thereby engaging saidlugs against such contact surfaceon said felly-band, said ring being formed to smoothly contact the sideof a tire previously placed on said felly-ban'd and serve as a secondretaining flange for the same.

10. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a tire receiving felly-bandand a retaining flange on one side thereof, of a continuous ring adaptedto be positioned upon the other side of said felly-band in apredetermined circumferential position and thereby serving as a secondtire retaining flange, said ring being capable of assuming two angularpositions with respect to the plane of the Wheel, and coperative lockingmeans permanently mounted on said band and said ring and adapted, in oneangular position of the latter with respect to the plane of said wheel,to interlock, thereby maintaining a Vtire upon said felly-band.

1l. In a vehicle wheel, the combination of a tire retaining felly-bandand a4 retaining flange on one side thereof, of a continuous, angularlydistortible ring positioned upon the other side of said band andconstituting the other retaining flange thereon, said ring bearinglocking means adapted, upon distortion of'said ring in one direction, toengage said felly-band.

12; In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a tire retaining felly-bandand a retaining fiange on one side thereof, of a con- 10( vtiniioiis,angularly distortible ring adapted to be positioned upon the other sideof said felly-band and constituting the other retaining fiauge thereon,and lugs constructed to engage said ring and said folly-band and 105maintained in such engagement by the outward pressure of the tireagainst said ring,A said lugs being disconnected from said fellyband.

- receiving the lateral pressure of the tire in a direction tending tomaintain it in such position. I y l Signed by m0,tliis 2nd day of Nov.,191i.

I-IARGLD A. SOULIS.

Attestedl by TiioMAs F. Haar, Y lA. M. LINDiiNsTRUTi-I.

